Car running, but won't move.
I have a 2002 300M, 3.8L, with 112,000 miles. It has been a great car, until now. We had a little accident in which the car rolled down a hill and into a fence. The right fender was damaged and a tie rod broken. I had it towed to a repair shop, who fixed the damage from that, added tires, and a new battery. I did sit for several months, but when I went to pick it up, I pulled out of the parking lot and the car just stopped moving. I turned it off to push it back to the lot, but realizing I couldn't push it in park, I turned it back on to shift into neutral. Well, when I turned it back on, it moved when I put it in drive, so I started off again. About 100 yards down the road, it stopped moving again, so I turned it off and started it again, and when I put it in gear, it moved. I headed it back to the lot and parked it. When I was finally able to get in touch with the guy who worked on it, he said, "oh ya, that *(* car left me stranded on the side of the road. I had to have it towed back here. I came in Saturday and checked the fluid, thinking it was old, but it looked brand new, so I don't know what's wrong with it. It probably needs a new transmission. I reminded him that about a month before the accident, he had changed the fluid (which I purchased at a local auto supply house and took to him), which is why it looks new.
Well, he was supposed to do some poking around to see if he could find an easy problem, but apparently did nothing. I finally had it towed to another shop who said they would take a look, and put it in their computer and see what they could find out. According to them, no codes came up. Then in another phone call, I was told that the battery was totally dead and they couldn't get it to hold a charge so that they could test drive it, in an attempt to recreate the problem. Now I'm told that they got it started (ya right) and it needs a new transmission. So, there it sits.
I had had no previous trouble with the transmission or anything else on the car, and I found it odd that the transmission would go like that. The owner of the shop took the car about an hour away to have it inspected. I didn't know until after the fact that he had lost his permit and had to take it somewhere else. After that, he apparently took it on another little ride to pick up a family member, and that's when it left him stranded.
I have gotten quotes for $3300 for a remanufactured transmission with a 3-year warranty, and $2200 for a used one with 30 days. I'm not really in a position to pay that, and have considered just posting it for sale for parts. It's a shame because it's a GREAT car, sans this little issue. I'm also not in a position to pay $500 for someone to spend time tinkering, then come back and be in the same boat with a bad transmission. If anyone has any ideas, I would greatly appreciate any suggestions.
Well, he was supposed to do some poking around to see if he could find an easy problem, but apparently did nothing. I finally had it towed to another shop who said they would take a look, and put it in their computer and see what they could find out. According to them, no codes came up. Then in another phone call, I was told that the battery was totally dead and they couldn't get it to hold a charge so that they could test drive it, in an attempt to recreate the problem. Now I'm told that they got it started (ya right) and it needs a new transmission. So, there it sits.
I had had no previous trouble with the transmission or anything else on the car, and I found it odd that the transmission would go like that. The owner of the shop took the car about an hour away to have it inspected. I didn't know until after the fact that he had lost his permit and had to take it somewhere else. After that, he apparently took it on another little ride to pick up a family member, and that's when it left him stranded.
I have gotten quotes for $3300 for a remanufactured transmission with a 3-year warranty, and $2200 for a used one with 30 days. I'm not really in a position to pay that, and have considered just posting it for sale for parts. It's a shame because it's a GREAT car, sans this little issue. I'm also not in a position to pay $500 for someone to spend time tinkering, then come back and be in the same boat with a bad transmission. If anyone has any ideas, I would greatly appreciate any suggestions.
0